Spitzer and near-infrared observations of a new bi-polar protostellar outflow in the Rosette Molecular Cloud

TL;DR

This paper reports multi-wavelength observations of a newly identified bipolar protostellar outflow in the Rosette Molecular Cloud, revealing its structure, driving source, and physical conditions through Spitzer and near-infrared data.

Contribution

It presents the first detailed analysis of the outflow's structure and physical properties using combined Spitzer IRAC, MIPS, and near-infrared H$_{2}$ observations, identifying the driving source and mapping the flow.

Findings

Outflow detected in all four IRAC bands and partially at 24 μm.

The driving source is a MIPS 24 μm source coincident with a dark patch.

Thermal and column density maps of the outflow were constructed.

Abstract

We present and discuss \emph{Spitzer} and near-infrared H$_{2}$ observations of a new bi-polar protostellar outflow in the Rosette Molecular Cloud. The outflow is seen in all four IRAC bands and partially as diffuse emission in the MIPS 24 $\mu$m band. An embedded MIPS 24 $\mu$m source bisects the outflow and appears to be the driving source. This source is coincident with a dark patch seen in absorption in the 8 $\mu$m IRAC image. \emph{Spitzer} IRAC color analysis of the shocked emission was performed from which thermal and column density maps of the outflow were constructed. Narrow-band near-infrared (NIR) images of the flow reveal H$_2$ emission features coincident with the high temperature regions of the outflow. This outflow has now been given the designation MHO 1321 due to the detection of NIR H$_2$ features. We use these data and maps to probe the physical conditions and structure of the flow.